Crossword puzzle

ABSTRACT

A puzzle comprises a grid of rectangular spaces including an interlocking crossword region and a filled region defined within the grid. The spaces in the filled region are already filled either with miscellaneous letters or black squares. The spaces in the crossword region are blank for receiving letters to allow the formation of across and down words. A crossword clue section provides clues which designate the letters to be received within the crossword region of the grid in a solution of the puzzle. The combined letters of the grid in the solution include an equal number of each letter of the alphabet as the letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE. Two miscellaneous letters being located in the filled region which are representative of the two blanks provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a crossword puzzle and more particularly to a crossword puzzle of the type which is representative of the word construction game of SCRABBLE.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The word construction game of SCRABBLE is a popular game in which a fixed number of letters are provided for players to form words in alternating turns on a common game board comprising a square grid. The word construction game of SCRABBLE however requires two players in order to be played properly. In order to improve one's skills at SCRABBLE it is desirable to improve one's familiarity with the different types of words which can be formed.

[0003] One type of word game which can be played by one person is a conventional crossword puzzle in which clues are provided for words to be entered into a rectangular grid in an intersecting manner. In general, the type of words and clues of conventional crosswords however are typically not applicable to the game of SCRABBLE. Furthermore some persons find the clues provided in conventional crosswords to be too difficult to assist them in completing the crossword puzzle and therefore require additional clues.

SUMMARY

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a puzzle comprising:

[0005] a grid of rectangular spaces including an interlocking crossword region and a filled region defined within the grid, the spaces in the filled region being already filled and the spaces in the crossword region being blank for receiving letters to allow the formation of across and down words; and

[0006] a crossword clue section providing clues which designate the letters to be received within the crossword region of the grid in a solution of the puzzle;

[0007] the combined letters of the grid in the solution include an equal number of each letter of the alphabet as the letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.

[0008] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of forming a puzzle, the method comprising:

[0009] providing a grid of rectangular spaces including an interlocking crossword region and a filled region defined within the grid;

[0010] filling the spaces in the filled region;

[0011] leaving the spaces in the crossword region blank for receiving letters to allow the formation of across and down words;

[0012] providing a crossword clue section of clues which designate the letters to be received within the crossword region of the grid in a solution of the puzzle;

[0013] arranging the clues to form a solution in which the combined letters of the grid include an equal number of each letter of the alphabet as the letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.

[0014] The puzzle according to the present invention makes use of a grid of rectangular spaces for receiving letters to allow formation of across and down words as in conventional crosswords to increase familiarity with words which can be of benefit in the game SCRABBLE. By specifically providing a solution in which the combined letters include an equal number of each letter of the alphabet as the letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE, a person attempting to solve the puzzle is provided with additional clues by determining which letters are missing in a partially solved puzzle which would not be available in a conventional crossword puzzle. Furthermore the letters being the same as the word construction game of SCRABBLE are more likely to form words which will assist the person attempting to solve the crossword puzzle to become more familiar with words specifically used in the game of SCRABBLE. By providing clues which correspond to definitions from a SCRABBLE edition of a dictionary, the user is further assured of becoming more familiar with words used in the game of SCRABBLE.

[0015] The crossword region of the grid preferably includes ninety-eight spaces corresponding to the ninety-eight letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE. Accordingly, the combined letters of the grid in the solution preferably include 9 A's, 2 B's, 2 C's, 4 D's, 12 E's, 2 F's, 3 G's, 2 H's, 9 I's, 1 J, 1 K, 4 L's, 2 M's, 6 N's, 8 O's, 2 P's, 1 Q, 6 R's, 4 S's, 6 T's, 4 U's, 2 V's, 2 W's, 1 X, 2 Y's, 1 Z and 2 miscellaneous letters representative of the two blanks provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.

[0016] Some of the spaces in the filled region may be filled with letters, but most of the spaces in the filled region are preferably filled with black squares. Ideally, two of the spaces in the filled region are filled with miscellaneous letters representative of the two blanks provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE which provide clues to some of the words intersection the miscellaneous letters.

[0017] When one hundred spaces of the grid include letters received therein in the solution, ninety-eight of the spaces preferably corresponding to the ninety-eight letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE, while two of the spaces corresponding to miscellaneous letters representative of the two blanks provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE. In this instance, the ninety-eight spaces corresponding to the ninety-eight letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE are preferably located in the crossword region of the grid.

[0018] In order to be further representative of the word construction game of SCRABBLE, the grid may be square, including fifteen rows of spaces with fifteen spaces in each row. Also, the spaces of the interlocking crossword region may be coloured to match a pattern of the game board in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.

[0019] The clues of the crossword clue section preferably comprise definitions from a SCRABBLE dictionary, however clues normally found in crossword type puzzle may be used as desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention:

[0021]FIG. 1 is an illustration of one example of the puzzle according to the present invention prior to solution thereof including the grid and the crossword clue section.

[0022]FIG. 2 is an illustration of the puzzle of FIG. 1 with the letters of the solution being received in the respective spaces of the grid.

[0023]FIGS. 3 and 4 are illustrations of a further example of the puzzle according to the present invention before and after the solution has been entered respectively.

[0024]FIG. 5 is an illustration of a blank grid having coloured squares thereon before forming the crossword region and the filled region of the grid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Referring to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a puzzle generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The puzzle 10 incorporates elements of conventional crossword puzzles as well as elements related to the word construction game of SCRABBLE.

[0026] The puzzle 10 includes a grid 12 formed of rectangular spaces. The overall playing surface is square in shape, incorporating fifteen rows of fifteen square spaces 14 per row. A colour pattern of blank spaces on the grid 12 matches the colour pattern in the word construction game of SCRABBLE as illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0027] The grid includes a crossword region 16 which comprises a plurality of interlocking ones of the spaces 14 which are all blank for receiving letters of the solution to the puzzle therein to form words lying across an down the grid 12 as in a conventional crossword puzzle. The crossword region 16 includes ninety-eight spaces in the preferred embodiment for receiving ninety-eight letters corresponding to the letters provided in the game of SCRABBLE.

[0028] The grid further includes a filled region 18 in which all of the spaces are filled with black squares as in conventional crossword puzzles with the exception of two spaces adjoining the crossword region which are already filled each with a respective miscellaneous letter 20. The miscellaneous letters 20 provide extra clues by forming words with the letters of the crossword region 16 and are preferably located within the filled region 18 so as to intersect one or more words formed in the solution of the puzzle. At least one of the miscellaneous letters within each puzzle intersects both an across and a down word solution.

[0029] The puzzle further includes a clue section 22 in which clues are provided for each of the words formed across and down in the solution to the puzzle. The clue for each word formed comprises a definition which is found in the SCRABBLE edition of a dictionary such that all words formed in the solution are valid words useable in the game of SCRABBLE.

[0030] The clues in the clue section 22 define across and downwards in the solution to the crossword region in which the combined letters of the crossword region include an equal number of each letter of the alphabet as the letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE. When there are no other letters in the filled region 18 other than the two miscellaneous letters 20, the combined letters in the solution of the entire grid include ninety-eight letters corresponding to an equal number of each letter of the alphabet as the letters of the game of SCRABBLE such that the two miscellaneous letters 20 are representative of the two blanks provided in the game of SCRABBLE. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a solution is provided to the puzzle of FIG. 1 which meets the criteria noted herein. FIGS. 3 and 4 are further examples of puzzles 10 which also meet the criteria noted herein.

[0031] In accordance with the criteria noted herein, the combined letters of the grid in the solution would include 9 A's, 2 B's, 2 C's, 4 D's, 12 E's, 2 F's, 3 G's, 2 H's, 9 I's, 1 J, 1 K, 4 L's, 2 M's, 6 N's, 8 O's, 2 P's, 1 Q, 6 R's, 4 S's, 6 T's, 4 U's, 2 V's, 2 W's, 1 X, 2 Y's, 1 Z and 2 miscellaneous letters representative of the two blanks provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE. In some variations of the puzzle, additional letters may be provided in the filled region, with only the blank area of the crossword region having ninety eight or one hundred spaces corresponding to either the letters or the letters with two blanks of the conventional word construction game of SCRABBLE when the solution is provided.

[0032] While one embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention. The invention is to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A puzzle comprising: a grid of rectangular spaces including an interlocking crossword region and a filled region defined within the grid, the spaces in the filled region being already filled and the spaces in the crossword region being blank for receiving letters to allow the formation of across and down words; and a crossword clue section providing clues which designate the letters to be received within the crossword region of the grid in a solution of the puzzle; the combined letters of the grid in the solution include an equal number of each letter of the alphabet as the letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.
 2. The puzzle according to claim 1 wherein the crossword region of the grid includes ninety-eight spaces corresponding to the ninety-eight letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.
 3. The puzzle according to claim 1 wherein some of the spaces in the filled region are filled with letters and some of the spaces are filled with black squares.
 4. The puzzle according to claim 3 wherein two of the spaces in the filled region are filled with miscellaneous letters representative of the two blanks provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.
 5. The puzzle according to claim 1 wherein one hundred spaces of the grid include letters received therein in the solution, ninety-eight of the spaces corresponding to the ninety-eight letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE and two of the spaces corresponding to miscellaneous letters representative of the two blanks provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.
 6. The puzzle according to claim 5 wherein the ninety-eight spaces corresponding to the ninety-eight letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE are located in the crossword region of the grid.
 7. The puzzle according to claim 1 wherein the grid is square, including fifteen rows of spaces with fifteen spaces in each row.
 8. The puzzle according to claim 7 wherein the spaces of the interlocking crossword region are coloured to match a pattern of the game board in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.
 9. The puzzle according to claim 1 wherein the clues of the crossword clue section comprise definitions from a SCRABBLE dictionary.
 10. The puzzle according to claim 1 wherein the combined letters of the grid in the solution include 9 A's, 2 B's, 2 C's, 4 D's, 12 E's, 2 F's, 3 G's, 2 H's, 9 I's, 1 J, 1 K, 4 L's, 2 M's, 6 N's, 8 O's, 2 P's, 1 Q, 6 R's, 4 S's, 6 T's, 4 U's, 2 V's, 2 W's, 1 X, 2 Y's, 1 Z and 2 miscellaneous letters representative of the two blanks provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.
 11. A method of forming a puzzle, the method comprising: providing a grid of rectangular spaces including an interlocking crossword region and a filled region defined within the grid; filling the spaces in the filled region; leaving the spaces in the crossword region blank for receiving letters to allow the formation of across and down words; providing a crossword clue section of clues which designate the letters to be received within the crossword region of the grid in a solution of the puzzle; arranging the clues to form a solution in which the combined letters of the grid include an equal number of each letter of the alphabet as the letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.
 12. The method according to claim 11 including providing the crossword region of the grid with ninety-eight spaces corresponding to the ninety-eight letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.
 13. The method according to claim 11 including filling some of the spaces in the filled region with letters and filling some of the spaces with black squares.
 14. The method according to claim 13 including filling only two of the spaces in the filled region with letters comprising miscellaneous letters representative of the two blanks provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.
 15. The method according to claim 11 including arranging the solution such that one hundred spaces of the grid include letters received therein, ninety-eight of the spaces corresponding to the ninety-eight letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE and two of the spaces corresponding to miscellaneous letters representative of the two blanks provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.
 16. The method according to claim 15 including locating the ninety-eight spaces corresponding to the ninety-eight letters provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE in the crossword region of the grid.
 17. The method according to claim 11 including providing a square grid having fifteen rows of spaces with fifteen spaces in each row.
 18. The method according to claim 17 including colouring the spaces of the interlocking crossword region to match a pattern of the game board in the word construction game of SCRABBLE.
 19. The method according to claim 11 including arranging the clues of the crossword clue section to comprise definitions from a SCRABBLE dictionary.
 20. The method according to claim 11 wherein the combined letters of the grid in the solution include 9 A's, 2 B's, 2 C's, 4 D's, 12 E's, 2 F's, 3 G's, 2 H's, 9 I's, 1 J, 1 K, 4 L's, 2 M's, 6 N's, 8 O's, 2 P's, 1 Q, 6 R's, 4 S's, 6 T's, 4 U's, 2 V's, 2 W's, 1 X, 2 Y's, 1 Z and 2 miscellaneous letters representative of the two blanks provided in the word construction game of SCRABBLE. 